I did go out this morning to dig up some rocks in the backyard and grabbed these shots of what we planted this Spring. They're still all babies but I'll be sure to update their photos in about 20 years or so .

Royal Purple Smoke Bush.

Sugar Maple, we planted a cluster of 7, with 2 Elm, in the back yard. Can't wait til they're big enough to make some shade and the great grandkids can make some maple syrup . The city gives away to residents a variety of baby trees every Spring but not too many ppl show up for them so they allowed me to take as many as I wanted this year. Dh was afraid I was going to plant my very own forest .

Elm

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"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant

And my attempt at a new shade garden. I dug the dark green Hostas up from my mother's last weekend. Frenchy gave me the Hostas that are in the front. There's also a Bleeding Heart, and two other plants that I can't think of the name right now . The rocks come courtesy of the backyard lawn that Penny and Nukka helped to dig up .

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"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
-Unknown

Yeppur!! That would be the bee on the open rose at the top on the right hand side.
You have a wonderful start to your gardens. They will look amazing when you are done!!! The hosta one already does. I see the ones you filched from your stepdad made the trip very well.

When you are all finished can you come help me with mine please?

Oh yeah - forgot to answer your question. Yes, you may prune the dead roses. In fact it may encourage another flush if you do.

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

LP,those are really cute baby-trees,the pups don't knock them over???
The tree you said was an Elm,looks very similar to an Oak,but I am probably wrong.
I think everything looks great,you don't need 2 million flowers to have a garden,the grass looks very good.
I too see the Bumble-bee in your pretty Rose-Bush,is it a wild Rose??

you could plant some bulbs in there for the spring! I like muscari, crocus and hiacynth!

Think they would do good in a shadier area? And anyone know if it's possible to buy bulbs in bulk? I'd love to plant a whole whack of them around the driveway or along the road.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winston

How are the morning glory's coming along?

They're not . Only counted 6 flowers in all. I'll forgo planting them in a pot next year and plant the seeds right into the earth. How intrusive are they Winston? I'm thinking of putting them around the porch out front...can I just rip them down in the Fall?

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

When you are all finished can you come help me with mine please?

I have no imagination for gardens but I'm pretty handy at weeding . I'm thinking next time I'm down your way, I'll use dh's pick-up and swing by Chris's...load up all her potted plants on my return and, voila, instant flower garden .

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14+kitties

Yes, you may prune the dead roses. In fact it may encourage another flush if you do.

Good to know, I was thinking of how pruning dead lilac flowers aren't good for the tree and was wondering if that applies to roses as well .

Quote:

Originally Posted by chico2

LP,those are really cute baby-trees,the pups don't knock them over???

Fortunately, they're really good about the trees. Had to train Lucky not to pee on them and Penny not to pluck them .

Chico, I think you're right actually, about the tree being an Oak. I googled it and the leaves look identical. They're gonna be huge and now I'm thinking I planted them too close to the Maples .

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"Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." -Will Durant

Think they would do good in a shadier area? And anyone know if it's possible to buy bulbs in bulk? I'd love to plant a whole whack of them around the driveway or along the road.

You can order tons of bulbs through Veseys. Request a free catalogue or order on line. Bulbs do well in semi shade but not so well in complete shade. There is also Stokes catalogue. I believe they have moved into bulbs in the last couple of years. http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/store/fa...m1i30if3r39c06

They're not . Only counted 6 flowers in all. I'll forgo planting them in a pot next year and plant the seeds right into the earth. How intrusive are they Winston? I'm thinking of putting them around the porch out front...can I just rip them down in the Fall?

Morning Glories are invasive but are very easy to control. It just takes some of that weeding you like doing. Just remember they aren't crazy about fertilizer and rich earth. MGs are actually annuals. It is not the original plant that is coming back up but brand new plants from the seeds that have dropped.

I have no imagination for gardens but I'm pretty handy at weeding . I'm thinking next time I'm down your way, I'll use dh's pick-up and swing by Chris's...load up all her potted plants on my return and, voila, instant flower garden .

I'm glad my gardens looked like crap when you were here! No danger of you wanting to "borrow" the plants.

Good to know, I was thinking of how pruning dead lilac flowers aren't good for the tree and was wondering if that applies to roses as well .

Actually, the best time to cut back lilac trees is right after they have finished flowering for optimal growth the next year. That is what I have always heard and read. 'Course I could be way off.

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

If the pups like to dig up stuff be careful with bulbs. A lot are deadly. I love Lily of the Valley but it is poisonous for dogs.
You know your bleeding heart will die back completely soon, right? It will look like it has disappeared. Then next year it's back and doing well.

Any time I am being too yacky tell me to back off mf. Gardening, regardless of what my poor gardens look like right now, is one of my favourite things to do.

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

I'm going to have to start taking notes . Thanks for that link too, 14+.

You should see my gardening links under my favourites! I need to start weeding it out it's getting so big! I made a new folder just for it and it is huge!!
Next time you are here remind me and I can send you home with tons of seeds.

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

I'm sitting here making lists of seeds I'd like to plant next Spring . Wish I was so motivated to start digging .

Yep. It's addicting! If it wasn't for the digging and the weeding I would be out there a lot more. I actually worked again for a little while today after I got home from work and fed the kitties. It's getting there....... slowly.........

If you ever need a good reference book may I recommend The Canadian Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers. The publishers are Dorling Kindersley. My kids got it for me for my birthday about 5 years or so ago. I love it!! It has everything from bulbs to trees in it and also garden planning.

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Assumptions do nothing but make an ass out of u and me.

We can stick our heads in the sand for only so long before it starts choking us. Face it folks. The pet population is bad ALL OVER THE WORLD!

I agree with 14+,the dead Lilac-blooms have to be dead-headed..
I had a Lilac that never bloomed and a friend,kind of an expert on Lilacs,said to cut the blooms off as soon as they are dead.
He also said not to prune the actual tree(bush)or you'll cut off next years blooms.

If you are near to a Costco,they usually sell their bulbs in large bags,but it might be easier to order from a catalog.

With Roses,I always deadhead them and in the fall cut them right down to about 1 foot,I might just dig them up,they look terrible right now..

I think you're making a lovely start to your gardens, LP! That's a beautiful rose!

We have lots of oaks--and yes, they get quite large...but they grow fairly slowly, too, so it'll be a while before they shade out the maples. If you just planted them, you may still be able to move them because they won't be established yet.

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"We are--each of us--dying; it's how we live in the meantime that makes the difference."

"It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived!"

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

LP I think your garden looks lovely. Any garden with bee's is a lovely garden! I hope your tree's are far enough away from your house foundation not to cause any damage though. Especially since you said you planted so many. Isn't 14+ just a wealth of info? She rocks in the garden .

LP..nice job on the planting. That one tree does look like an oak. We had a oak tree in our yard where I grew up. I miss the nice big trees. Also, make sure u give them a good drink every day for the first couple of weeks after planting,,,turn the hose on a slow trinkle so the water runs down to the roots and not onto the grass. Trees lose a lot of water every day thru evaporation so giving them a good drink when they are newly planted helps them. Also giving them some 10-52-10 to help their roots develop is good too! I also hope u gave them a big area to spread out,,,cause they are going to get huge! LOL

The hosta garden looks nice too...I hope u gave them lots of room to spread out too as they will get huge and turn into bushes and u won't be able to move them without a fork lift after that. LOL

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